Top Comic Book Stores In Houston

July 19, 2016 7:00 AM

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Get your geek on. Local comic book stores often offer more than just comics. Some of the best stores also have gaming gear and fan items. Whether you prefer Marvel, DC or manga, you will likely agree that these are some of the best places around town to get your choice of reading material.

You may have seen Third Planet on a local news station among some of the “Cool Spaces” around the Bayou City. This is just further proof that Third Planet is one of the best places around town to find the comics you want. This store is known for a wide selection of previous issues of many comic series, and you can even be guaranteed variant covers when you preorder a certain number of comics. If you want more than just comics, action figures and novelty items are also on the shelves. Check Third Planet’s Facebook or Twitter account to find what books are the latest in the store.

If you like to game as well as read comics, Nan’s is your one stop shop for everything you need. This is a great store to check out if you are looking for out-of-print editions of your favorite comics, but you will also find some of the latest books as well. This is also a great place for those who enjoy board games, too; since for many comic book enthusiasts, the two go well together. To see more of what is in the store, check out the pictures on Nan’s website.

With some comic book stores you have to go in person to get the books you want, but 8th Dimension offers subscriptions to the newest issues of your favorite series. These issues are set aside for you, and you get a 10 percent discount on comics in your subscription. This store also does pre-orders so you will be sure to get the comics you want when they come out, even if the store does not carry them. But the comic fans at 8th Dimension are constantly researching to ensure that customers will be able to find the hottest books on the racks. The best part about going to this shop is the community that the staff try to create with their customers by offering several events throughout the year for comic and gaming fans to connect with each other. Be sure to look at the event calendar for any upcoming happenings.

Toys and comics abound at The Pop Culture shop near CityCentre on Houston’s west side. This small shop, inconspicuously located in a strip center, offers a range of comics, graphic novels, toys and more for seasoned fans and new aficionados. Not only will you find experts in store, there are also professionals on their website. There, you will find reviews of comics, movies and television shows. There are even reviews written by fans. One thing that sets The Pop Culture apart from others is your ability to get a free comic book on other days of the year that do not fall on National Free Comic Book Day. Just fill in the Taste Test form on the site, and you can get a free comic to see if you are really going to like that series. It’s the best way to try out a series before committing to purchasing several issues. After testing an issue, if you decide that you want to regularly keep up with the series, sign up for the subscription service to ensure that you will always have the next issue at the store when it comes out.

Tucked away in Seabrook, Dimensions Comics is a small business that isn’t quite like anything you’ve seen. The main draw are the comic books and monthly events held on the second Saturday of the month. As new comics come in each week, the selection is updated, but you can also find back issues of several series. What makes this store different from the others is its selection of vinyl records. Dimension Comics proves that music stores and local comic stores are not relics of the past, rather they are alive in the present and can happily coexist in this must-visit little shop.

Crystal Hessong ia a freelance writer and a lifelong, fourth generation Houstonian. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.